


Hollow Triumph

by Inwitari_Turelie



Category: Journey into Mystery
Genre: Drabble, Everything Hurts, Gen, Regret, spoilers for JIM 645
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-24
Updated: 2012-10-24
Packaged: 2017-11-16 23:17:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/544921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inwitari_Turelie/pseuds/Inwitari_Turelie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is the greatest tale Loki has ever wrought. So why is he so dissatisfied with the end?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hollow Triumph

This is supposed to be his victory.

By any measure surely Loki has won. His younger self has given up his consciousness. It is he who now wears this young body and newly good name. Loki has won.

So why doesn’t it feel like this feel like success?

The words his young self spoke haunts him.

“You won’t, they won’t let you”

You’re no freer than you were before. All this is for naught. Loki will always be Loki.

“You’re just being yourself as always”

Your greatest trick has always been your ability to trick yourself. This is all you can ever be.

“I won”

I’ve done what you never could. Interesting isn’t it? Given that I’m supposed to be you. And you were so careful to make me a  _better_ you weren't you?

“I won and you lost. Never forget it”

Regret Loki. For you will never succeed. Chaos can’t. You'll never rule Asgard. You’ve lost. You will always lose. I was your only chance.

Loki watched the boy beg Brün of the Sisterhood of the Death for annihilation. As if it would be better to be lost forever than to be him.

The boy is more successful at saving his friend. Loki does not wish any harm upon Leah but apparently his young self cares enough for the girl not to trust Loki not to harm her. Perhaps the boy is right. He certainly is right not to trust Loki. He simply needed to do so earlier. It does explain much about Hela though. Apparently he _is_  Helheim's ruler's father in a way. Well, this explains her willing help in some of his past plans. It seems Loki was not the only one who needed to ensure Odin adopted him. He thinks he is rather proud of Hela.

Loki watched him beg Thor to kill him should he return to his old ways. To kill him when Loki becomes him. It is a futile effort to protect the world from him, for Thor will never do it. Thor's never managed to bring himself to kill Loki before. _Thor brought him back_. Loki does not understand why Thor acts as he does but he knows how Thor will act.

Then the boy sacrificed himself to save the world from Mephisto’s ruling of Hell.

Loki realises that this young Loki truly has become a hero. Not because of his deeds but because of what he believes. The young one did not just redeem his name, he redeemed himself in truth.

Perhaps it’s time Loki gave playing on the side of heroes a go. It’s not his nature but after watching the boy he wonders whether evil necessarily is either.


End file.
